1 Chronicles 16:5

Hebrew (Westminster Leningrad Codex) 1 Chronicles 16:5 appears in the Hebrew Old Testament. The text above is from the Westminster Leningrad Codex. Each word links to its Strong’s number, a concise gloss, and parsing drawn from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible morphology. Click any word for its full Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB) entry.
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1 Chronicles 16:5 (World English Bible). Public Domain. Lemma interlinear Bible study tool, https://lemma.gebible.app/v/1-chronicles/16/5.

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Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, with psalteries and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;
World English Bible · Public Domain
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Compare translations 3

The same verse in 3 English versions, stacked beneath the original-language interlinear above. Click any original word for its lexicon entry.

Each is an independent rendering of the whole verse — the interlinear is not word-aligned to these translations.

Highlighted words mark where these versions differ — a whole-verse word diff, not a word-by-word alignment.

  • World English Bible Public Domain
    Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, with psalteries and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;
  • King James Version Public Domain
    Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;
  • unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
    Asaph, the head, and Zechariah, his second; Jeiel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel and Mattithiah and Eliab and Benaiah and Obed Edom and Jeiel with instruments of lyres and harps, and Asaph playing on cymbals,

unfoldingWord Literal Text — © unfoldingWord, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Word-aligned USFM3 via Door43 (git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ult).

Versions to compare (up to 4)

3 of 4 selected

Show all 18 translations

Every available English version of this verse, each an independent rendering of the whole verse.

  • World English Bible Public Domain
    Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, with psalteries and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;
  • Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
    Asaph was the chief, Zechariah was second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel. They were to play the harps and lyres, while Asaph sounded the cymbals
  • Majority Standard Bible Public Domain
    Asaph was the chief, Zechariah was second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel. They were to play the harps and lyres, while Asaph sounded the cymbals
  • King James Version Public Domain
    Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;
  • American Standard Version (1901) Public Domain
    Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, with psalteries and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;
  • Revised Version (1885) Public Domain
    Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, with psalteries and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;
  • Geneva Bible (1599) Public Domain
    Asaph the chiefe, and next to him Zechariah, Ieiel, and Shemiramoth, and Iehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed Edom, euen Ieiel with instruments, violes and harpes, and Asaph to make a sound with cymbales,
  • Douay-Rheims (1899) Public Domain
    Asaph the chief, and next after him Zacharias: moreover Jahiel, and Semiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mathathias, and Eliab, and Banaias, and Obededom: and Jehiel over the instruments of psaltery, and harps: and Asaph sounded with cymbals:
  • Young's Literal Translation Public Domain
    Asaph the head, and his second Zechariah; Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with instruments of psalteries, and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals is sounding;
  • Literal Standard Version CC BY-SA 4.0
    Asaph the head, and his second Zechariah; Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with instruments of psalteries, and with harps; and Asaph is sounding with cymbals;
  • Unlocked Literal Bible CC BY-SA 4.0
    These Levites were Asaph the leader, and second to him Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed Edom, and Jeiel. These were to play with stringed instruments and with harps. Asaph was to sound the cymbals, sounding loudly.
  • unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
    Asaph, the head, and Zechariah, his second; Jeiel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel and Mattithiah and Eliab and Benaiah and Obed Edom and Jeiel with instruments of lyres and harps, and Asaph playing on cymbals,
  • Darby Bible Public Domain
    Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with instruments of lutes and with harps; and Asaph sounding with cymbals;
  • World Messianic Bible Public Domain
    Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with stringed instruments and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;
  • Webster's Bible Public Domain
    Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;
  • Free Bible Version CC BY-SA 4.0
    Asaph was the one in charge, Zechariah was second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel. They played harps and lyres, and Asaph struck the cymbals,
  • Bible in Basic English Public Domain
    Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Uzziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel and Mattithiah and Eliab and Benaiah and Obed-edom and Jeiel, with corded instruments of music; and Asaph, with brass instruments sounding loudly;
  • JPS Tanakh (1917) Public Domain
    Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, with psalteries and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;

Literal Standard Version (2020), Covenant Press — licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API (eBible.org). Unlocked Literal Bible (unfoldingWord) — licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API (eBible.org). unfoldingWord Literal Text — © unfoldingWord, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Word-aligned USFM3 via Door43 (git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ult). Free Bible Version, Dr. Jonathan Gallagher — licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API (eBible.org).

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וּשְׁמִֽירָמ֡וֹת
Shᵉmîyrâmôwth
H8070
“and · Shemiramoth”
Conjunction + Noun, Proper
Part of Speech
Conjunction + Noun
Type
Proper
Full BDB Definition

Origin: probably from H8034 and plural of H7413

TWOT: None

Shemiramoth = "name of heights" - a Merarite Levite in the second rank in the choir of David - a Levite in the time of king Jehoshaphat of Judah
  1. אָסָ֥ף ʼÂçâph H623 “Asaph” Noun, Proper
  2. הָרֹ֖אשׁ rôʼsh H7218 “the · head” Particle, Definite Article + Noun, Common, Masculine, Singular, Absolute
  3. וּמִשְׁנֵ֣הוּ mishneh H4932 “and · second · his” Conjunction + Noun, Common, Masculine, Singular, Construct + Suffix, Personal, 3rd Person, Masculine, Singular
  4. זְכַרְיָ֑ה Zᵉkaryâh H2148 “Zechariah” Noun, Proper
  5. יְעִיאֵ֡ל Yᵉʻîyʼêl H3273 “Jeiel” Noun, Proper
  6. וִֽיחִיאֵ֡ל Yᵉchîyʼêl H3171 “and · Jehiel” Conjunction + Noun, Proper
  7. וּמַתִּתְיָ֡ה Mattithyâh H4993 “and · Mattithiah” Conjunction + Noun, Proper
  8. וֶאֱלִיאָ֡ב ʼĔlîyʼâb H446 “and · Eliab” Conjunction + Noun, Proper
  9. וּבְנָיָהוּ֩ Bᵉnâyâh H1141 “and · Benaiah” Conjunction + Noun, Proper
  10. וְעֹבֵ֨ד ʻÔbêd ʼĔdôwm H5654 “and · Obed-edom” Conjunction + Noun, Proper
  11. אֱדֹ֜ם ʻÔbêd ʼĔdôwm H5654 “Obed-edom” Noun, Proper
  12. וִֽיעִיאֵ֗ל Yᵉʻîyʼêl H3273 “and · Jeiel” Conjunction + Noun, Proper
  13. בִּכְלֵ֤י kᵉlîy H3627 “in/at · vessels of” Preposition + Noun, Common, Masculine, Plural, Construct
  14. נְבָלִים֙ nebel H5035 “skin bottles” Noun, Common, Masculine, Plural, Absolute
  15. וּבְכִנֹּר֔וֹת kinnôwr H3658 “and · in/at · lyres” Conjunction + Preposition + Noun, Common, Masculine, Plural, Absolute
  16. וְאָסָ֖ף ʼÂçâph H623 “and · Asaph” Conjunction + Noun, Proper
  17. בַּֽמְצִלְתַּ֥יִם mᵉtsêleth H4700 “in/at the · cymbals” Preposition, Determined + Noun, Common, Feminine, Dual, Absolute
  18. מַשְׁמִֽיעַ shâmaʻ H8085 “hearing” Verb, Hiphil, Participle Active, Masculine, Singular, Absolute

About this verse

These counts appear in no published source. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged text and Lemma’s own curated glosses. What Lemma adds →

19
words
16
distinct lemmas
Historical
section

Notable vocabulary

The rarest word here is וּשְׁמִֽירָמ֡וֹת Shemiramoth H8070 — appearing just 5 times in the whole Hebrew Bible.

Shared distinctive vocabulary

וּשְׁמִֽירָמ֡וֹת Shemiramoth H8070 occurs in 4 verses of the Hebrew Bible. Also found in:

Grammatical profile

  • 1 verb
  • 18 nouns

Verb forms

  • מַשְׁמִֽיעַ Hiphil · Participle Active

Repetition

Words recur within this verse — often emphatic in Hebrew:

  • אָסָ֥ף Asaph H623 ×2
  • יְעִיאֵ֡ל Jeiel H3273 ×2
  • וְעֹבֵ֨ד Obed-edom H5654 ×2

Hebrew & Septuagint length

In English translation the verse runs 34 words from the Hebrew and 32 from the Septuagint (LXX English) — closely comparable.

A rough comparison of the two English renderings, which tokenize alike — not a word-level alignment.

Word counts can differ between the Hebrew and the Greek without any difference in meaning — e.g. the Hebrew direct-object marker אֵת has no separate Greek word, and Greek often adds the article ὁ.

In the original languages it is 19 Hebrew tokens and 28 Greek tokens — but the two are counted differently (Hebrew bundles its prefixes and suffixes into one token; the Greek is in lemma form), so that isn’t a like-for-like length.

Cross-references

4

Topical passages linked to 1 Chronicles 16:5 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — connected by theme and wording, ordered by reader-vote popularity; previews shown in the World English Bible.

  • 1 Chronicles 6:39 His brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea,
  • 1 Chronicles 15:16–24 David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers the singers, with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up the voice with joy.
  • 1 Chronicles 25:1–6 Moreover, David and the captains of the host set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of those who did the work according to their service was:
  • 2 Chronicles 29:25 He set the Levites in the house of Yahweh with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet; for the commandment was of Yahweh by his prophets.

Cross-references courtesy of OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).

Hebrew and Greek witnesses Masoretic Hebrew ↔ Greek Septuagint

The same verse in the two great witnesses to the Old Testament, shown verse-for-verse.

These are two independent witnesses, not word-aligned to each other, and the Septuagint is shown in lemma (dictionary) form.

Hebrew 1 Chronicles 16:5 Masoretic · Westminster Leningrad Codex

אָסָ֥ף הָרֹ֖אשׁ וּמִשְׁנֵ֣הוּ זְכַרְיָ֑ה יְעִיאֵ֡ל וּשְׁמִֽירָמ֡וֹת וִֽיחִיאֵ֡ל וּמַתִּתְיָ֡ה וֶאֱלִיאָ֡ב וּבְנָיָהוּ֩ וְעֹבֵ֨ד אֱדֹ֜ם וִֽיעִיאֵ֗ל בִּכְלֵ֤י נְבָלִים֙ וּבְכִנֹּר֔וֹת וְאָסָ֖ף בַּֽמְצִלְתַּ֥יִם מַשְׁמִֽיעַ

Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, with psalteries and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;

World English Bible · Public Domain

Greek LXX 1 Chronicles 16:5 Septuagint · lemma form

ασαφ ὁ ἡγέομαι καί δευτερεύω αὐτός ζαχαριας ιιηλ σεμιραμωθ ιιηλ ματταθιας ελιαβ καί βαναιας καί αβδεδομ καί ιιηλ ἐν ὄργανον νάβλα καί κινύρα καί ασαφ ἐν κύμβαλον ἀναφωνέω

Asaph was the chief, and next to him Zacharias, Jeiel, Semiramoth, and Jeiel, Mattathias, Eliab, and Banaeas, and Abdedom: and Jeiel sounding with musical instruments, lutes and harps, and Asaph with cymbals:

LXX2012 (modern English Septuagint) · Public Domain

Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (CC BY 4.0). Greek: Septuagint (public domain); English from LXX2012 (modern English Septuagint) (Public Domain). How the Septuagint differs from the Hebrew →

Commentary

Notes on 1 Chronicles 16:5 from classic Christian and Jewish commentators (each source and its license shown beneath its notes). The classic Christian expositions comment on the surrounding passage and are grouped to its opening verse, so a note may address several verses; the Jewish commentaries on the Tanakh (Rashi and others) are per-verse, so they appear only where the commentator wrote on this verse.

Lemma curates 59 commentaries, every one of them public domain or Creative Commons licensed, each selected and text-cleaned for this edition rather than reprinted as found. About our sources →

Trapp's Complete Commentary

John Trapp

1Ch 16:5 Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;

Ver. 5. Asaph the chief.] Yet in other places Heman is set before him. {1Ch 6:33; 1Ch 6:39; 1Ch 15:16-17}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown

Jeiel--the same as Aziel (Ch1 15:20).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 5. Asaph] See the preceding chapter, 1Ch 15:17, &c.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5, 6) The names of the persons appointed—ten Levites and two priests—all of whom but one, Jahaziel, were in the procession described in 1Ch_15:19-21.

Asaph the chief, and next to him (his second) Zechariah.—See 1Ch_15:18.

Jeiel.—A scribe’s error for “Jaaziel” (1Ch_15:18).

With psalteries and with harps.—With instruments of harps and lutes (appositive or defining genitive).

But Asaph made a sound with cymbals.—Literally, and Asaph with cymbals clanging.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne

5. Asaph] Cp. 1Ch_15:17, note.

but Asaph made a sound with cymbals] R.V. and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud. Cp. 1Ch_15:16; 1Ch_15:19.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

John Gill's Exposition

Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests,.... These were appointed to blow

with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; morning and evening.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Zacharias, at the head of the second band. These played on the nable and kinnor, as the women did not sing in the tabernacle. Jahiel should be Oziel, (chap. xv. 18., &c.; Calmet) unless he be the same person, chap. xv. 18. (Haydock) --- Instruments. Literally, "organs." (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "the instruments of nables." (Vatable) (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The Pulpit Commentary

Obed-edom. No colon should follow this name. And the first time of the occurrence of the name Jeiel in this verse should probably have shown the Jaaziel of 1Ch_15:18. The contents of this verse put us, then, into possession of this much, that Asaph presided (1Ch_6:39) at this musical service, and that his instrument was the cymbals, (1Ch_15:19) with which time was kept; that Zechariah was next to him, and, with eight others formed a band, who played on psalteries (or lutes) and harps. If we may guide ourselves by vers. 20, 21 of the preceding chapter, three of these viz. Mattithia, Jeiel, Obed-edom performed on the harp, the other six on the psaltery, or lute.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Keil & Delitzsch

C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch

Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests,.... These were appointed to blow

with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; morning and evening.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Lesson kit

Teaching starters — assembled from the data on this page, not authored interpretation. Every prompt links to the verse data it draws on. Edit before teaching.

1 Chronicles, in the Historical, opens this verse with 19 words (16 distinct Hebrew lemmas). Its most distinctive word is Shᵉmîyrâmôwth (“Shemiramoth”). A historical commentator’s framing appears above. Read the whole chapter for the surrounding context.

Discussion questions

  1. How does “Shemiramoth” (Shᵉmîyrâmôwth) shape what this verse is saying?
  2. How does 1 Chronicles 15:18, which shares the word «Shemiramoth», read alongside this verse?
  3. What does the repetition of “Asaph” (2× in this one verse) do in this verse?
  4. These translations render this verse differently. What is at stake in choosing one wording over another?
  5. «מַשְׁמִֽיעַ» is a Hiphil Participle Active verb. How does that grammatical form shape the action described?
  6. Compare how Trapp's Complete Commentary and Jamieson, Fausset & Brown read this verse. Where do they agree or differ?

Things to notice

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